The Grenada gazette., 1887-11-05
MARGARET COLEMAN.
How This Brave IrjshwOman Saved Seer.
tary Stewards Lie.


tary Stewards LIE.
Among Mr.. Summers servants th
one whom he most highly valued wa
an elderly Irish woman, Margars
Coleman. She was his housekeepe
for the last two years, and now be
comes historic character.
Prior to entering Mr.. Summers serv
ice Margaret was of ne household o
William II. Seward. When, on tn
14th of April, 1865, the night of the as
sassination of President Lincoln, an at
tempt was made on the life of Mr.
Seward, she was one of those in charg'
of his room, ne then being confined t,
his bed from the effects of a fall from
his carriage. Payne, the would-be as
sassin, was met by Mr.. Frederick Sew
ard at the head of the stairs. Aftel
wouuding him severely and leaving
him seemingly dead, Payne passed
over his body to reach the room of hi;
father. The noise had notified Mar.
garet, who was in her own room on the
story above, Of Payne's approach, and
his object. As Payne entered the sick
room, Robinson, the male nurse, then
there, confronted him. Payne struck
Robinson to the ground with his knife,
and then sprang at the Secretary.
Mr.. Seward was in a half-sittins
posture, leaning his back against
sick-chair placed in the bed for
his support. Realizing Payne's object.
he pulled the bed clothing over his head
for his protection. Payne struck him
number of times. One blow was so
well aimed that it passed through the
bed clothes, through his cheek into his
neck on the right side, and another on
the left side cut his neck
Meantime all this was passing quicker
than it can be told. Margaret had
sprung upon him from behind, and
Robinson had gathered himself up
sufficiently to confront the assassin
Major A. Fl, Seward, Miss Fannie
Seward and some of the servants of the
household were now entering the room.
and Payne fought his way out from
among them, Margaret was struck in
he face, apparently by Payne's
clenched fist, so that her face was
painful and discolored for some time,
and she was hurled against the door
jamb with such force as to break her
collar-bone. Major Seward was slightly
cut in several places. But none of the
women except Margaret was in any
injured. Payne, after cutting his way
out. mounted his horse and escaped.
Meantime Mr.. Seward had apparently
disappeared, and for moment
it was thought that the as
sassin had thrown him out of
the window. He had. however, rolled
himself in his bed clothing, and fallen
between the bed and the wall, but was
SO suspended by the clothing that he
had not reached the floor. Margaret
pulled him up, unrolled him, now
nearly smothered in the blankets and
the blood and assisted in doing what
was necessary before she found out
how much she herself was injured. She
recovered, however. sufficiently to con.
tinue to act as head nurse to Secretary
seward, to Mr.. Frederick Seward and
Mrs. Seward. who never recovered
rom the shock of that night, and who
lied in Margaret's arms, and, finally,
rs nurse to Miss Fannie Seward. She
aw her pass away within the year.
When Mr.. Fish succeeded Mr.. Seward |
IS Secretary of State, he took certain
II the Seward servants, who agreed to
tay with him until Mrs. Fish brought
Ter own establishment to Washington.
20 Margaret remained with the new
of State for six months, and
hen went to Mr.. Sumner, with whom
he remained until his death. The ar
angement was particularly agreeable
o the ladies whom Mr.. Sumner re.
eivcd, as most of them had been ac-
ustomed to her friendly ministrations
rhen visiting at the Seward and Fish
ouses. Cosmopolitan.